Snippets
by Seacilin
Summary: Flashes into our characters lives. Harry/Snape/Petunia


These will probably read as choppy and unfocused but I would like feedback on your reactions to them individually. Take them not as a single story but flashes of the characters lives. Also NOTE my grammar is bad and nothing has beta so take it as its suppose to read rather than what it does.

I'd appreciate any feedback, as I'm developing different styles for my current stories.

Snippet 1 - Do I Need A Reason?

Harry gritted his teeth in frustration. His uncle continued his dinner. When he spoke his voice was dangerously deceptive and as he cut another piece of meat from his plate he glanced up at his stoic nephew intermittently. Harry stood now to the side of the table, his hands balled into fists knowing, if he lifted his eyes to meet the challenge he wouldn't able to suppress his anger any longer. He chanced a look at his aunt who was sitting opposite her husband. Her posture was stiff and as she met his green gaze she tilted her head, a signal to Harry he should leave before things got worse. But Harry didn't move, he knew better than his aunt the mood, her husband was in or perhaps she was deluding herself into thinking Vernon would actually allow Harry to leave before he was finished. The man reached for his fourth glass of wine with sloppy fingers and cleared his throat loudly, sending bits of steak and potatoes onto the pristine white tablecloth. Despite the fact that Harry hadn't eaten since yesterday his appetite fled as he had stood there.

"Don't you agree, Sweet?" His aunt faltered with the knife and fork in her hands. She looked up into the still eyes of the man sitting in front of her who smiled a mouthful of teeth at her. "Harry" the strict tones of his aunt made him look at her, knowing what was coming and felling his heart start to beat faster "Go upstairs to your room and don't come down for the night".

Harry eyed his Uncles his face purple a shade, his eyes still on his wife left her returned to Harry pinning him with a stare. A steely "Harry" from his aunt and Harry made a move but a bang of a fist on the china filled table stopped him. "Go" petunia commanded. Harry felt the burning gaze on the back of his head as he exited the kitchen into the hallway. He reached the door as it opened and Dudley came home.

Dudley shivered, his fringe stuck to his forehead and beads of water dripping from his clothes onto the carpet. His round cheeks were winder bitten and his face lost its glee once he spotted Harry standing there. "Oh, its you" he tone was droll. Harry stared at him a second or two more before loud voices from the kitchen irrupted them. Dudley focused on the closed kitchen door before he snarled at Harry. "What have you done now?" Harry opened his mouth but a loud crash of broken plates and a loud "Vernon!" had Dudley push past Harry, sending him ungracefully into the banisters. Before he could reach it, the kitchen door sprung open with such force that Vernon paused seeing Dudley in front of him so suddenly, before his eyes creped past his son to the dark haired young man standing behind him. Vernon snarled and Harry saw his aunts eyes widen. "Harry! Run"Harry didn't need telling twice. Muscle memory from quidditch had him grab the banisters and swing himself up onto the stairs before his Uncles pudgy hands could reach him. He was up and running up the stairs two at a time before Vernon had realized what had happened. Harry raced up the stairs and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him and locking it. This room would offer protection, His bedroom would be no haven with the locks on the outside of the door. With a sickening twist Harry realised Hedwig was still in her cage on his window sill. Harry slowed his rapid breathing and strained to listen.

It was obvious that Dudley was still trying to calm his father down, if the shouts were anything to go by. Usually Vernon would peak in his anger, and having sufficiently strained his vocal cords and deafened those around him would slink into the sitting room to fall asleep on the couch. This didn't seem the case now, in fact as Harry listened Vernon was only getting louder. Dudleys question played over in his mind. The truth of the matter was he had not done anything out of the ordinary. He had done his chores and stayed inside like Vernon had ordered. No, what angered his obese Uncle today had been completely Harry unrelated.

Snippet 2 - Unforgivable Self

Harry wiped the tears from his eyes and glared up at the potions master in grim determination. Snape's lip curled down at the boy before him, who was struggling to stand of his own volition . Stand bravely and face the monster that had once destroyed his family. Snape's hand twitched in anticipation of that moment. He desired the boy to regain his footing so he could once again send him crashing down to his feet but his thoughts seised as the angry red mark on the boys cheek blossomed like a stamp of his own hand print. The boy climbed unsteadily to his feet and the unadulterated emotion those eyes held seemed too much for him. His insides shriveled and he made to backhand the boy again. What he didn't expect though, was the boy to charge him so suddenly nor the small yet firm clutch around his waist.

Dumbstruck and utterly confused he stood stock-still as the boy broke down and sobbed into his robes. Snape raised his hands and grasped the boys own to pry him from his now rumpled robes before words stopped him. Words were making themselves known through Potters unrelenting sobs. Words that had him hiss in pain and throw the boy from him. The boy flew back loosing his balance and hit one of the front desks before he crumpled to the floor holding his head. Snape felt guilt stir within him but squashed that down quickly. He hardened his facial features and sneered down at the emotion wrecked of a boy. "You forgive me Potter? What makes you so sure that require your forgiveness? What makes you think that I regret my decision or that every time I look at you, I don't take pleasure in knowing that James Potter is dead because of what I did". The boy was rubbing his head and wincing in pain but as the words started to sink in Potter looked up at him through shocked emerald eyes. He watched in satisfaction as Potters teeth clenched and hatred seeped into that gaze. _Good boy_, so angry did he look that Severus was sure the boy would pick up his wand and there and then kill him where he stood. Potter wiped his tears and stood up again but this time his body was rigid. He stared at Snape for one more moment before he collected his wand from the ground and left slamming the door behind him. Severus sneer fell from his face soon as the door closed. _It's for the best_ he reminded himself.

Snippet 3 - Escapist

Harry tried to curl up more hedgehog-like but his body would bend no further. Another bang at the bathroom door had him tremble and he covered his ears and wept louder. Tears streamed from his eyes as he glanced up at the only barrier between him and his tormentor. Oh! How angry he was that Harry had locked the door. Perhaps if Harry were to explain that he hadn't meant to do it, but when he saw the figure pounding down the hall in his direction, with eyes that promised pain he had panicked and closed the door and by reflex locked it. Another echoing bang resounded around the room that had Harry cry out in fear from his position on tiles. The door gave an ominous creak that had his eyes widen in alarm knowing that the next bang would prove to be too much for it and allow the hungry fists that craved his body to descend down upon him.

The violent tremors took him. Logically Harry knew he was starting to panic, he had suffered many attacks this summer but Mrs Weasley was there to help him through it. He was alone now in the dark bathroom. He felt a vice-like grip in his throat as he choked on long suppressed emotions. A searing pain took up residence in his chest and throbbed painfully. His lungs craved for oxygen, but no matter how much he greedily gulped down they screamed for more. The first choked 'oh god!' that escaped seemed to want company and soon a precession of muffled gasping sobs were jetted out of him. Harry curled up in the corner of the tiled cell, brought his knees to his chest and tried to think past the hazy panic in his mind. Gingerly he brought his arms up to wrap around himself in some parody of a hug. As if it would bring comfort to him now.


End file.
